Pompon machine



Nov. 24, 1936. H. 1 LAWSON x-:r Al.

POMPON MACHINE e sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1955 Nov. 24, 1936. H. l.. LAWSON ET Al.

POMPON MACHINE l 6 Sheets-Sheelt 2 Filed July 8, 1935 inventori z/Zzifll www v @Wauw www RN 4/ RN www HN www uw www Nov. 24, 1936. H. LAWSON ET AL POMPON MACHINE Filed July 8, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 6....5 s. ....n, ..1 .Lw

ill' 6073 A torney Nov. 24, 1936. H. L.. LAWSON ET AL 2,062,183

POMPON MACHINE Filed July 8, 1935 6 SheecS-Shee'l 5 In l d muur'.

ygyeffjawofz ttorney NOV. 24, 1936. H. LAWSON ET AL 2,062,183

POMPON MACHINE Filed July8, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 B age/"ZI 7607i Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECF.

Quebec, Canada,

assignors to Hofmann &

Leavy, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 8, 1935, Serial No. 30,292

Claims.

'Ihe present invention relates to a machine for producing pompons and the like, and is a continuation in part of our United States application Ser. No. 714,578 filed March 8, 1934.

5 An object of the invention is the provision of a pompon forming machine which is completely automatic in operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pompon machine which is rapid in operation and forms well constructed uniform products.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pompon machine designed so as to produce pompons of variable size.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pompon machine constructed so as to apply several windings o1" binding material to form a tightly bound tuft.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a pompon machine which will accurately sever the pompon forming material so as to eliminate the necessity of separately trimming the pompons.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a pompon producing machine of the above character which is relatively small, compact and durable in construction and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembled machine,

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the same,

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the pompon advancing mechanism,

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse section on line 6-6 of Figure 2,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 'l--1 of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the mechanism in a different position,

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Figure 7,

Figure 10 is a transverse section on line l l-lll of Figure 1,

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the mechanism in a different position,

Figure 12 is a similar View showing the mechanism in still another position,

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 with 5 part of the mechanism removed,

Figure 14 is a similar view showing the mechanism in an altered position,

Figure 15 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 16 is a section on the line lli- IB of 10 Figure 15,

Figure 17 is a similar View with the mechanism in changed position,

Figure 18 is a similar View in another position,

Figure 19 is a similar View in still another po- 15 sition,

Figure 20 is an enlarged fragment-ary section on the line 2li-2l! of Figure 12,

Figure 21 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 22 is a similar view showing the mecha- 20 nism in another position,

Figure 23 is a section on the line 23-23 of Figure 10,

Figure 24 is a sectional View taken on line 24-24 of Figure 10, 25

Figure 25 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the same,

Figure 26 is a sectional view taken on line 26-26 of Figure 1,

Figure 27 is a similar view showing the mecha- 30 nism in another position,

Figure 28 is a fragmentary view of the same in a changed position,

Figure 29 is -a sectional View taken on line 29--29 of Figure 1, 35

Figure 30 is a similar View showing the mechanism in another position,

Figure 31 is a section through the bobbin structure, and

Figure 32 is a section taken on the line 32--32 40 of Figure 24.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, 4|] designates the base of the machine which is in the form of an elongated 45 rectangular metallic plate. Journalled transversely on the base plate 4l! adjacent what constitutes the forward end is a drive shaft 4| having xed upon an extending end portion a clutch disc 42. Adjacent the disc 42 the drive shaft car- 50 ries a slidable clutch sleeve 43 having rotatably mounted thereon an exteriorly grooved clutch wheel 44 engageable with the face of the clutch disc 42. The sleeve 43 is yieldingly urged to bring the wheel 44 into frictional contact with the disc 55 plate cam 49 pivoted thereon and adjustable by means of an actuating lever 50.

Journalled longitudinally on the base plate 48 above and at right angles to the drive shaft 4| is a cam shaft 52 having a worm wheel 53 fixed on the forward end in mesh with a worm 54 Von the` drive shaft 4| To one side of the worm wheel 53 is secured a segmental cam.55 lco-operatively engageable with the cam 49 to disengage the power driven pulley wheel 44 from the drive shaft clutch disc V42.

In a bearing block 51 on the base is journalled a drum 58 formed with annular grooves at the intermediate portion and at the front end. In the front groove is rotatably fitted a helical gear 59 provided at one side with an annular boss in which is formed an annular groove 68 carrying a compression spring 6| therein. The gear 59 is in mesh with a helical gear 62 on the main drive shaft 4|, the drive mechanism being designed so that the gear 59 will complete nine revolutions during twenty-seven revolutions of the drive shaft 4| and one revolution of the cam shaft 52. Fitted concentrically within and rigidly secured to the drum 58 is a lining tube 63 provided at the forward end with a knurled flange 64.

In a groove in the drum 58 is mounted an axially slidable clutch pin 13 yieldingly urged forwardly by a coiled spring so that the forward end Will enter the groove 68 andengage the spring 6| of the helical gear 59 to cause rotation of the drum with the gear. At its intermediate portion the clutch pin 13is formed with a transverse tapered groove-engageable-with the lower end of an actuating arm 14. The arm 14 forms part of an angular bracket 15 pivotally connected to the end portion of a lever 16 pivoted vertically on a pinV 1.1. A tension spring 18l connected with the outer end of the bracket 15 yieldingly forces the end of the lever and the arm 14 downwardly so that the lower end of the arm will engage the intermediate groove of the drum and the groove in the clutch pin 13 to retract the vlatter and'disengageV the drum from the actuatingY gear 59. The clutch actuating arm 14 is raised to disengage the clutch pin at regular intervals through the medium of a cam 19 xed on the cam shaft 52 and engaging a follower pin on the inner end' of the lever 16.

On the rearward extension of the tube 63 isA threadedly secured an annular concentric bobbin casing 66 having rotatably fitted therein a bobbin 61 carrying a supply of bindingwire 88.V A resilient dished ring69 disposed between the side wall of the casing and the side ofthe bobbin provides suitable friction for proper rotary movement of the bobbin relative to the casing during the Vunreeling of the binding wire, the wire being passed through a slot in the periphery of the casing betweena pair of guide pins 18 and looped about a take-off stud 1| mounted atan angular position on the edge of the casing.

Within the rotary lining tube 63 is mounted a stationary feeder tube 18 formed with a tapered feed bore and supported at the front end upon a standard 19. At the forward end of the feeder tube vis secured a flaring feed funnel 88. In the bore of a standard 8| is removably secured a feed support tube 82 having its bore inV alignment with loose on the shaft.

the bore of the main feeder tube 18' and spaced from the rear end of the latter to form a narrow winding gap therebetween. At the inner edge of the vertical standard 8| is mounted a vertically slidable cutter bar 83 provided at the lower end with a cutting edge operable to sever the binding wire. The cutter 83 is connected to the outer end of an arm 84, attached to a lever 85, and is normally held in an elevated non-cutting position by a spring 86 attached to the end of the le- Ver. A cam 81 engages a pin 88 on the lever to periodically slide the cutter 83 downwardly to sever the binding wire.

' A transverse twister shaft 98 is rotatably journalled opposite the support tube 82 and carries thereon a xed clutch collar 9| formed with a reduced annular guide boss 92. In an aperture in the collar 9|, shown to advantage at Figures 24 and 32, is slidably disposed a clutch pin 93 normally extended by a spring 94 to engage a lock` ing aperture 95 inthe hub of a spur gear 98 The outer face of the pin 93 is. shaped to provide an oblique shoulder, shown to advantage at Figure 24, .periodically engageable with a trip arm 91 operable to retract the pin to disengage the clutch connection between the collar 9| and the gear 96; The trip arm 91 is secured to the forward end of a Vlever S8 fastened to a crank of a rocker 99`formed with a stem |88 held against an operatingcam |8|, i1- lustrated at Figures l and 5. The forward 'end of the lever 98 is yieldingly urged to a clutch pin retracting position against the boss 92 by a tension spring |82 attached to the lever and to a bracket |83 on the base. The clutch gear is'in mesh with an idle gear |84'having driving connection with a spur gear on the main drive shaft 4|. Thus, the gear |85'fixed. on the drive shaft 4| continuously rotates the clutch gear 96, the clutch being engaged to rotate the twister shaft 98 when the trip arm 91"is held fin av lowered position away from the boss 92land the pin 93. The clutch is disengaged to stop rotation of the clutch collar 9| and the twister shaft 90 when the trip arm is raised against the boss 92 by the action of the spring |82 and the position of 'the cam 8 In this upwardposition the pin 93'will strike the trip arm 91 and the oblique cam formlng shoulder will cause the pin to slide to a clutch releasing position.

On the intermediate portion of the shaft 98 is tted an axially slidablesleeve |811urgedto a retracted position against a slide yblock |88'by means of a coiled compression spring |89. This sleeve |81 extends through the shaft 'bearing and is formed at the front end with a slot I8, while the intermediate part is slotted at diametrically opposed sides to clear a thrust pin extended transversely through the shaft. Theforward part of the twister shaft 98 is provided with a longitudinal slot ||2 and shaped at the extremity to form a wire grippingy jaw ||3.A A lever ||4 pivotally supported in the slot ||2'is' provided at the rear end with an angular slot |5and with a transversely-elongated jaw |6, co-operable with the xed jaw ||3, at theforward-extremity. A- diametricallyextending pin ||1 carried by the forward part of the sleeve |81 projectsthrough the slot I l5 so that forwardthrust movementof the sleeve will swing the lever` |4..to move the jaw |6 to an open wire releasing position, while retracted movement ofthe sleeve by the action of the spring |89 will swing the movable jaw to a closed wire grippingl position. Forward movement of the jaw actuating sleeve is effected through the medium of a vertical lever I |8 carrying a laterally projecting pin ||9 engaging a groove in the slide block |88. The lever ||8 also carries a second laterally extending pin |29 engageable by a plate cam |2| to effect automatic operation of the twisting jaws. These jaws may also be manually opened by depressing the lever |l8 through the medium of a finger lug |22 on the upper end thereof.

To the front of a support web |24 on the base is attached a vertical plate |25 formed at the top to provide a guide notch |25 and a Vertical cutting edge |21. Adjacent the top of the plate is mounted a transversely slidable block l 28 formed at the front with a depending lip |29 roughened at the outer face to form a wire gripping anvil. Above this block is mounted a complementary slidable block |39 formed with a depending relatively long jaw forming lip |3| overhanging the anvil lip |29. The block |28 is resiliently urged to a forwardly projected position by a spring |32, while the block |30 is connected to the end of an actuating lever |31 through the medium of a pin |34. A spring |35 yieldlngly holds a follower lug |36 on a pivoted lever |31 against the edge of an actuating cam |38 operable to effect proper movement of the jaw |3|.

Projecting laterally from the outer end of a lever |48, pivoted to the side of the web, is a stem l4| operable to depress the binding wire into twisting jaw engaging position. The inner endv of the lever |46 is yieldingly pressed against a cam hub in the path of an actuating eccentric pin |42 by a tension spring |43 so that the stem carrying lever is periodically actuated to adjust an end of the binding wire.

A pair of'cutting blades |45 and |46 formed with slotted cam plates |41 are pivotally supported in vertical position. Through the slots of the cam plates |41 is extended a pin |48 secured upon a vertically supported lever |49 and engaging the edge of an actuating cam |50. A complementary cam |5| is mounted to actuate a follower pin |52, also secured to the lever |49, so that the blades are periodically actuated to effect scissor movement to sever a portion of the bunch.

To a collar |54 fixed on one end of a rock shaft |55, journalled in an elevated bearing |56, is secured a fork |51 curved at the lower end so as to brace the pompon forming bunch during the cutting operation. To the same collar is secured an arm |58 adapted to strike the severed pompon and eject the same laterally of the ma-chine. Upon the opposite end of the rock shaft is secured a crank |59 having pivotally connected thereto one end of an actuating rod |60. The opposed end of the rod |60 connects with a follower pin |3| projecting laterally from a lever |92. A spring l 33 fastened to the lever resiliently forces the follower pin IGI against the edge of a cam plate |64 formed so that the fork |51 and the ejecting arm |58 are periodically oscillated.

The pompon forming threads are advanced to cutting position by puller mechanism embodying a tubular shaft |35 slidably supported in longitudinal position in bearings |81 and |68 and provided with a slot |69 intermediate its ends. Within the shaft |63 is slidably tted a rod |10 formed with an intermediate groove |1| and provided at the forward end with an enlarged head |12 carrying radial pivot pins |13. To these pins are connected the pivot brackets of a pair of complementary longitudinally disposed jaw levers |14 formed at the forward ends with a pair of coby links acting jaw plates |15. levers |14 are pivotally connected with a flanged head |16 on the forward end of the shaft |66 |11. Intermediate the ends the jaw levers |14 carry studs |18 to which are fastened a pair of tension springs |19 arranged rearwardly of the pivot pins |13 and tending to normally swing the jaws |15 to separated open position. Upon the rear end of the tubular shaft |86 is slidably fitted a socket 8|) having threaded connection with the end portion of the rod |10. A nut |8| locks the socket in adjusted position on the rod. A detent |82 is pivotally supported in the slot 89 of the shaft and is resiliently urged inwardly against the rod by spring means and is operable to engage the groove in the rod to resiliently retain the latter in retracted position relative to the shaft.

To a block |84 secured on the shaft |66 is pivotally connected the outer forked end |85 of a lever |86. A follower pin |81 carried by the lever engages the groove of an actuating cam |88 to suitably oscillate the shaft. Thus, when the shaft is moved to its extreme forward position the socket contacts with the shaft bearing |68 to arrest movement of the rod |18 before the shaft 'Ihe rear ends of theY |66 terminates its forward movement, causing the rod to assume a relatively retracted position so that the jaws |15 are swung to closed bunch gripping position and the detent |82 assumes an inward position engaging the groove |1| in the rod to secure the latter in jaw closing arrangement. The jaws are held in closed bunch gripping position during the rearward stroke of the shaft until the detent engages the rear shaft bearing |61 and is automatically actuated thereby to release the rod, enabling the springs |19 to effect opening movement of the jaws.

The machine operates as follows:

A bunch of threads, that is a plurality of strands of silk, rayon, wool or the like, is inserted into the bore of the feed tube 18 and the bore of the support tube 82, bridging the gap between these elements. As the cycle of operations commences the outer end of the binding wire a is secured between the jaw |3| and the outer anvil face of the jaw |29. The bobbin casing is then rotated, in a direction shown by the arrow at Figure l5, winding the wire circumferentially a number of turns, in the present instance three, about the bunch in the winding gap. As the last winding turn is nearing completion the jaw |3| opens to release the initially gripped end portion of the wire and to intercept another part of the wire. At this time, the stem |4| descends to dispose the part a2 to a lowered position, as shown at Figure 16, while the part a3 moves under the jaw |3|. The jaws |3| and |29 are then retracted, cutting part a3 of the wire from the main body of the wire as it is moved against the cutting edge and securing the end of the main body again between the retaining jaws. The end portions a2 and a4 of the wire, Fig. 17, are then engaged by the projection of the opened rotating twisting jaw ||6 and brought to proper position between the jaws which close tightly on these ends and twist the same as they continue to rotate, effecting a suitable number of turns to fasten the wire, in the present instance about six turns. When the nal twisting turn is completed, the cutter 83 is depressed from its normally elevated position to cut the twisted portion of the wire, the severed ends dropping from the twisted jaws and may be collected in a suitable container on the base. As Will be noted at Figures 11 and 12, the guide bores in the feed tube 18 and support tube 82 are formed eccentrically so that regardless of the diameter of the pompon forming bunch the length of the twist will be approximately uniform.

Upon completion of the twisting operation the advancing jaws move forwardly and grip the rearwardly projecting portion of the bunch and ad- Vance the same a predetermined distance. The scissor blades sever the bunch forwardly of the support tube forming a pompon tuft of predetermined length which, upon opening movement of the jaws, is struck by the ejecting arm |58 and thrown laterally from the machine into a suitable receiver.

Thus, it will be noted that the successive operations of binding the bunch at a predetermined point, advancing and severing the same at a predetermined distance from the advanced end and ejecting the severed pompon are affected automatically and With great precision. The ejected pompons are consistently uniform in length and are cut by the scissor cutting mechanism so effciently as to obviate the necessity of subsequent trimming. As the machine is designed to produce a complete pompon for predetermined revolutions of the shafts, as for instance one pompon for each revolution of the cam shaft, the number of pompons produced in a given time may be readily determined when the operating speed is known. Thus, if the cam shaft is driven at a rate of forty R. P. M., it is apparent that forty pompons will be produced during each minute of operation, obviating the necessity of counting the completed pompons.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. A pompon forming machine having in combination, a guide for a bunch of pompon forming threads, means for Winding a binding element a plurality of turns on the bunch, means for advancing the bound threads, means for cutting the advanced bound threads to form pompons of uniform length, and means for automatically ejecting the severed pompons from the machine.

2. In a pompon forming machine, the combination of means for guiding a bunch of threads, means for winding a binder about the bunch, means for twisting the binder, means for advancing the bound bunch, scissor blades operable to sever the advanced portion of the bunch t form the pompon, and a member movable to brace the bunch adjacent the blades during the bunch severing operation.

3. In a pompon forming machine, the combination of means for guiding a bunch of threads,4

`means for winding a binder about the bunch,l

means for twisting the binder, means forA advancing the bound bunch, scissor blades operable to sever the advanced portion of the bunch. to form the pompon, a member movable to brace the bunch adjacent the blades during the bunch severing operation, and an ejecting member adapted to strike and eject the pompon upon completion of the severing operation.

4. In a pompon forming machine, a thread feeding guide, means for releasably gripping and advancing the threads to a projected position, means for severing the projected threads, means' adapted to support the projected threads during the severing operation and to throw the severed portion of the threads laterally with respect to the guide.

5. In a pompon forming machine, a thread feeding guide, means for releasably gripping and advancing the threads to a projected position, means for severing the projected threads, and means adapted to laterally eject the severed threads as they are released from the gripping means.

JOSEPH STAMPFLI. HOLGER L. LAWSON. 

